In talking with farmers around the
Islands, they all echoed common complaints about rampant agricultural
theft, trespassing and what they see as police departments not
especially concerned about such crimes.

One Oahu farmer told of driving to his
field in preparation for harvest, only to find the batteries stolen
from his fork lifts. By the time he changed out the batteries, he'd lost a half-day of production. Big Island farmers spoke of thieves jacking up
farm equipment to rip off $11,000 worth of tires, and blatantly
knocking down an entire wall of a building in order to nab the ATVs stored inside.

The farmers are vulnerable because most
do not live on their land, giving thieves high on ice the entire
night to carry out their burglaries. But even those who do live
on-site are not immune. One Oahu woman told of chasing a guy from her
backyard in broad daylight. When she called police, they scolded her, saying "don't you dare run after the guy."

Others spoke of calling the cops, only
to be told the police had other priorities. Or if the cops do take a
report, the farmers are told it's nearly impossible to prove that
stolen fruit belongs to them. One farmer was able to match the top
cut from one of his pineapples to the whole fruit, only to have an
officer shrug and say it wasn't sufficient evidence.

Banana, luau leaf, lychee and longan
are some of the most frequently targeted crops, with the hot produce
sold to vendors who peddle the wares at farmers' markets. Though the
markets typically have rules to prevent the sale of stolen property,
they aren't enforced, farmers say.

In short, farmers are losing big time,
with one Puna District grower suffering losses of $60,000 in
uninsured property this year alone.

With many farmers already surviving on
the margins, the thefts represent a significant threat to their
viability. But though we often hear of cops cracking down on
thefts from rental cars and vacation rental properties, the plight of
farmers is generally ignored.

As a result, many of them have stopped reporting
the crimes.

Farmers were unanimous in fingering
druggies, some of whom are former employees who know the operations,
and then return to steal. This is linked to another common problem
that farmers face: a shortage of farm labor has them often
hiring guys who never graduated high school and can't get any other
jobs, but have no work ethic or interest in steady employment.

“It just goes on and on and on,”
one farmer said.

“It's always been occurring, but it's
just getting worse and worse,” added another farmer.

Farmers also report reoccurring
problems with trespassers, who come onto their land to hunt,
vandalize or just hang out.Locks are broken, gates are knocked down, fences are cut. Some farmers are beginning to instal security
systems, but that also represents an outlay of time and money that
many do not have.

In response, legislators are
considering House Bill 1996, which creates a two-year pilot program
on the Big Island to focus on investigating and prosecuting
agricultural theft and vandalism.

The bill, which has passed the House
Finance Committee, calls for partnering with the county of Hawaii to
hire an enforcement officer within the prosecuting attorney's office
or any other law enforcement agency to:

Identify the number of convictions for
agricultural theft and agricultural vandalism;

Identify best practices for prosecuting
perpetrators of agricultural theft and agricultural vandalism;

Identify areas where agricultural theft
and agricultural vandalism are most prevalent;

Identify best practices for preventing
agricultural theft and agricultural vandalism; and

Make recommendations for a statewide
program to address agricultural theft and agricultural vandalism no
later than Dec. 31, 2017.

The bill, if ultimately adopted — and
most important, funded — could prove helpful in addressing the
problem. Still, it's just another bandaid on the
open, weeping sore that is Hawaii's ice epidemic.

I remain bewildered that certain
politicians and activists are focusing so much attention on the
perceived threat of Island agriculture while ignoring the documented
danger of crystal methamphetamine addiction.

Titled
“Battling outbreak, Hawaii faces small staff, pesticide fears,”
it tells of how some organic farmers on the Big Island are refusing
to allow state officials to spray for mosquitoes spreading dengue
fever:

But state efforts to combat the
outbreak — and prevent the related Zika virus from making inroads
on the island — could put these farmers out of business. Posting
"no spray" signs on their properties, they're pushing back
on the use of pesticides to kill the mosquitoes that transmit both
infections.

On Old Ways Farm, organic farmer Steve
Mann tends to his herbs with mosquito netting dangling from his straw
hat. Neighbors have been infected with dengue, but Mann wouldn't
allow his home or farm to be sprayed with pesticides.

"It's not organic, and that would
cancel our certification for a period of three years," Mann
said. "That might well put us out of business."

What Bussewitz fails to report is that
the organic rules have an exemption for such situations. Section
§205.672 states:

When a prohibited substance is applied
to a certified operation due to a Federal or State emergency pest or
disease treatment program and the certified operation otherwise meets
the requirements of this part, the certification status of the
operation shall not be affected as a result of the application of the
prohibited substance: Provided, that: (a) Any harvested crop or plant
part to be harvested that has contact with a prohibited substance
applied as the result of a Federal or State emergency pest or disease
treatment program cannot be sold, labeled, or represented as
organically produced.”

So Mann could indeed sell his crop,
though not as organic produce, and his certification would not be in
jeopardy.

59 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Hi Joan, Eric Bj. here. My neighbors have specialized tools for this type of crime. We call them rifles, shotguns and pistols. Also non lethal booby traps to ID thieves are useful. The lazy cop who didn't want to investigate further when shown the pineapple needs his fanny fired.

Ya, but Steve Mann (On Old Ways Farm) needs the higher organic prices because he can't compete otherwise. But then, it's all about him and his crop. He could care less about the safety and welfare of his customers, family, friends and the community in general. Selfish twit. We should boycott his produce for being so self-centered and anti-social. So in the end, this organic farmer doesn't take the high road to protect his community and yet he rants about corporations and seed companies? What a hypocrite!

Joan: Mahalo nui loa for introducing me to this ongoing hewa. You say,"I remain bewildered that certain politicians and activists are focusing so much attention on the perceived threat of Island agriculture while ignoring the documented danger of crystal methamphetamine addiction." Perceived threat of agriculture? How about changing that wording to to "the documented threat of bad agricultural practices which do not nourish the soil, but instead introduce chemical/poison combinations into the soil, air and waters of our fragile ecosystem?" And "ignoring the documented danger of crystal methamphetamine addiction." How can someone ignore a problem they are not familiar with? It may be "documented", but that documentation is useless if the info is not being shared with the public. This is the first time I have ever heard of this problem, so how can you say I have been "ignoring" it. I read almost all of your blogs, but cannot remember you educating people about this problem over the years. Have you also been ignoring the problem, or have I missed something here? I have also not been exposed to this problem from the media yet- the connection between meth addiction and farm theft. Perhaps you should reserve judgment here?

I've written about the ice problem many, many times over the years. And unless your head is buried in the sand it's hard to believe you could be unaware of this scourge. Perhaps if you spent less time drumming up accusations against AG and more time in the community you'd know what's really going down.

I agree whole heartedly with 1:57. Joan, the service you provide to the community with your blog is hard to quantify. Your grasp of the facts and your ability to put it into words is a gift. Please keep on keeping on!

Joan, I am 11:57. Of course I am aware of the ice problem. Never said I wasnʻt. I was referring to the CONNECTION between ice addiction and the hewa being created because of it with farmers around the islands. That is what I was ignorant of. Please forgive me if I was not clear enough for you. Your article was not about ice addiction per se, but about the connection with farm theft. And I also have no idea what you mean by "drumming up accusations against AG." I was just stating the truth. Massive amounts chemical/poisons which have been and are being used around the world are not good for the health of humans, animals, fish, birds, the soil, rivers, oceans and air. This is the truth, and if you wish to dispute it, please go ahead. Again, I apologize for my lack of clarity. I am not hear to disparage AG, you or anybody else. I am here to learn, and I thank you again for bringing to my awareness the CONNECTION between ice addiction and the problems farmers in Hawaiʻi face today. Mahalo nui loa!

Tweakers are also into residential areas like Isenberg Tract, where they have been stealing mango, lychee, avocados, and any other fruit they can sell in the parking lot of Wal Mart across the street. Ice is ravaging its users and the community. Auwe.

Well, that's YOUR truth, not mine nor many, many others who aren't newcomer eco-fanatics that are merely Google Experts and have a great belief in the lies and propaganda of the Center for Food Safety, Dustin Barca, Gary Hooser that the like who are simply making a career off of idiots like you. Or trying to but failing in Barca's case.

Many on the island know exactly how and where the drugs are being sold. Why oh why are there any arrests of any significance? Every once in a blue moon someone will get popped for a small amount but the real drug dealers remain untouchable. It's time to call in the FBI and root out the real reason the drug traffic continues unabated. If only the car traffic moved as efficiently and effectively as the drug traffic. Start with those carrying a TSA, KPD and DLNR badge.

4:53- Fine. If you wish to believe that poisons/chemicals are not creating any problems for the planet and the environment, you are very welcome to believe that. But to call people who do not believe same as you idiots reveals to everyone your true nature. When looking for idiots, it is always best to begin with ourselves. Those who live in glass houses should beware of throwing stones.

3/1/2" 016 @ 11:57 AM, does "the documented threat of bad agricultural practices which do not nourish the soil, but instead introduce chemical/poison combinations into the soil, air and waters of our fragile ecosystem" refer to all or only some forms of agricultural production, and furthermore, does it apply to any other human activities? And what is your training/education in agriculture?

7:24- It applies to all poisons and toxic chemicals which make their way into our bodies and the environment. And my background has nothing whatsoever to do with how all of these toxins are polluting the planet. Here on Kauaʻi we have a chance to experiment with agricultural methods which do not contribute to the poisoning of our environment or the depletion of the soil and its health. The land on Kauaʻi which used to be pineapple plantaions is just about the worst soil in the world. Those ag methods completely drained all the nutrients out of the soil and left us a legacy today of dead earth. Fortunately, permaculture offers us methods of restoring this soil without the use of toxic poisons. Glyphosate and many other chemicals are beginning to show up in our bodies. It is not good to have poison in our bodies. I do not need a PHD to understand this. Agricultural runoff from farms in the midwest is traveling down the Mississippi and creating a dead zone in the Gulf Of Mexico. Many crops grown with massive amounts of poisons and chemical fertilizers over the years have depleted the soil and left it empty of beneficial micro-organism necessary for healthy soil. And I would never trust companies like Monsanto with their horrible history to convince me that all these chemicals they produce for profit are good for me. They are in business for profit-that is the bottom line for them, not the health or well-being of the environment. I do my own research and think for myself, studying all sides. I do not rely on politicians, government reps, or chemical company CEOʻs to educate me. And the youth of today seem to be very akamai about all the hewa we are experiencing on the planet through massive poisoning of the earth fueled by corporate greed at the expense of health. The youth are our hope for the future. A future where everyone has access to clean healthy food, water, air and soil. Poisons kill, they are not beneficial to health.

Joan,You didn't need to travel the whole state to find out that ag theft is out of control in Hawaii. Just come over to Moloaa where it is a daily occurrence. Tweakers will steal just about anything. Clean out Rambutan trees, mango trees, longan, avocado,any tool they can get there hands on, animals, building supplies, raid campsites. It's crazy and there is really nothing you can do about it. Even if you call the police they won't do anything. They will just turn it over to a HDOA inspector and there is only one on the island. A few have been caught and its always the same guys. One time they were stealing mangos somebody saw them and they started driving crazy around the farm crashed into a big water pipe that killed there car. Farm workers grabbed them and held them to the police got there and all the police did was take them home. Not even a arrest I kid you not. The only ones I remember that got arrested was the guys that killed the goats at the goat Dairy. Only because it was so messed up and they used a gun.The only thing you can do is lock everything up. Fence your property with gates locks and chains. Make sure all your tools are locked in a secure container at night. Try and get someone living on the farm even if it's just a camp site. Because no matter what law they pass or how many investigators they add its almost impossible to catch these guys.

11:57, 3:08 and 11:29. great comments only to be reminded, again, what Ms. Joan's been saying all along, so WHY!!!! do we only go after agriculture. go after golf courses, termite treatment people, landscaping companies, home owners who buys this crap for their own lawn, hotels, timeshare properties, and every contributor to our global poisoning, so! why only single out agriculture!!!

when you relate health to all the toxins we place in our bodies that is killing all of us, how about relating this toxic fact that Americans are living longer than our past ancestors. even with all the toxins we have in our bodies. Fact, Hawaii residence especially women are living the longest amongst all the other states.

Also, with medical technology always evolving, is another reason why we are living longer. So, as Joan's been trying to tell all of you who's been injecting fear into our lives since the past 2491, stop it, agriculture is not the only industry to accuse.

The way you're jumbling up all your claims, are what Joan calls fear mongers. the sky is falling and we are all doomed!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Just wait for the fact finding report to come out, then you can scream bloody murder, like "I told you so!"

Have a great week! it's Hump day, have a gradual slide for the remainder of the week to an awesome weekend. especially here in paradise!

2/1/2016 @ 11:29 PM, you are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts, which your post is so glaringly devoid of. Since you claim to do your own research and study all sides, you are aware of the negative environmental impacts of most organic agriculture, are you not?

Greed. Money. Power? Drugs is a money maker. Look at the people trying to be the outlet for medical marijuana. Legally. They know the profit involved with this entity. Look at all the Pharmaceutical Companies. None of them is losing money. Billion Dollar industry. Big PharmCos do not want competition. With competition comes a smaller piece of the pie. Maybe the China guys will develop a cure to cut into the PharmCos. They won't stop the GMOs research. Good luck to them. Maybe we can send someone over to China to protest.

@ 11:29 - "The land on Kauaʻi which used to be pineapple plantaions is just about the worst soil in the world. Those ag methods completely drained all the nutrients out of the soil and left us a legacy today of dead earth."

It's funny how most farmers have no problem growing wonderful crops in "dead earth". What's YOUR problem. Oh, ya. You're not a farmer but an eco-fanantic that has no knowledge other than your "internet studies" and no skills. What's it like to be such a looser?

@ 8:01 AM - "Americans are living longer than our past ancestors. even with all the toxins we have in our bodies."

Ya, but how much longer would we live without these toxins??? LOL!! That's what you're going to get thrown back at you. It's like the old joke about scaring away elephants by banging pots & pans out your window. "Well, you don't see any do you?" :)

"The land on Kauaʻi which used to be pineapple plantaions is just about the worst soil in the world. Those ag methods completely drained all the nutrients out of the soil and left us a legacy today of dead earth."

Oh yeah? Tell that to the farmers, many of them organic, growing on the old pine fields at Moloaa.

Joan......Nobody said nothing can be grown on old pineapple plantation land. It seems that they said the soil was "dead". Are you familiar with "remediationʻ? "Environmental remediation deals with the removal of pollution or contaminants from environmental media such as soil, groundwater, sediment, or surface water." So why donʻt you go and interview farmers growing on old pineapple land in Moloaʻa and ask about the years of intensive remediation that was required to bring back the health of that terrible soil. I know what I speak of from personal experience, by the way. Today many are promoting growing hemp as a good way of remediating soil on Kauaʻi which has been degraded due to past agricultural practices. I think you might benefit greatly from talking to those Moloaʻa farmers. I know I have. Mahalo.

Joan, You are invited to the next Kalalea Anahola Farmers Hui meeting on Wednesday March 9th at the Anahola Clubhouse from 6:00-8:00pm (pot luck). Come and ask local farmers about old pineapple land. Ask us questions directly and we will be happy to educate you about our experiences and what we have learned. We will be happy to share with you the difference between healthy and contaminated/lifeless soil. Looking forward to meeting you.

I have a request for anyone who reads this, including Joan. Please provide us with research and facts showing how poisons contribute to health (including all life, soil, water and air). The public needs to be educated about the health benefits of poisons, because so many believe that they are detrimental to health. Looking forward to all educated responses.

Thanks for the invite. I actually already am familiar with the difference between healthy and degraded soil, and have conversed with many of the Moloaa farmers about their efforts to improve soil fertility, as well as those who just started growing stuff. I myself have lived and gardened on old pine land. I took exception to the contention that the soil is "dead," which is too often used interchangeably with degraded. There is a difference. Dead doesn't come back. Degraded does.

Let us not quibble about definitions. Dead or lifeless can come back. Many examples of clinically dead coming back to life. I could understand completely what that commenter was saying. Not everyone has the same experience as 6:09, and that is a fact. Dead, degraded, sick, unhealthy- whatever. Farmers today have to deal with these past ag practices which resulted in the degradation. And heavy use of poisons is one of the main causes. Compare the soil of any organic farm with the soil of any monocropped fields in the midwest of the USA which have relied on heavy doses of biocides. What do you think you will find?

4:46 assumptions again, we can live longer in the future with better technology in science. that's a start. we can live longer with exercise and eating right. that's the moto these days.

Elephants! yep! Kauai has white elephants! AND! elephants can be chased away with a colony of bees. for some reason bees are not liked by elephants.

so the old saying had changed in recent years to hit the bee box to stir up the bees to chase your white elephant away.

the world and Kauai is adapting to change.

8:50 p.m. massive scale for sure. due to nitrogen run off by fertilizer. all studies point to nitrogen and not insecticides or fungicides or herbicides. government has set a high priority to reduce nitrogen run off in these areas.

I guess nitrogen is a pesticide, let me check Google or Bing to see if I'm correct. and it's not only the gulf, it's the great lakes too.

Poisons occur naturally in almost all edible plants and are used just as much in organic agriculture as conventional, and organic pesticides can have greater deleterious impacts on non-target organisms and the environment, than many synthetic pesticides. Plus practically every modern human activity somehow poisons the environment, so don't single out conventional agriculture as the major culprit. The problem is there are too many people on the planet who expect a very high standard of living.

11:02 am hit the nail right on the head! The disruptions in our world, the damages that storm events wreak, the failure of the crops to produce, are all due to too many people. That doesn't mean we should reduce population by allowing people to starve. We should always take care of our fellow travelers on this world. However, we do need to start having a serious discussion about carrying capacity. Especially in these fragile islands. It seems the goal of tourism is to have more tourists. Now we see more hikers in the forest in addition to swimmers at the beach. Are they having a good time with this business model of more? Probably not but they keep coming and we still don't know what the carrying capacity of our islands are. So please, please, please, people can we start having the discussion? If we don't work on managing this the anger, hostility, and resentment that is being stirred up will just get worse. And there is no good reason why it should! So come on, let's get together and figure this out!

It's funny that the people who complain the most about tourists are by in large transplants themselves who suffer from the drawbridge mentality. "I came hear first so you don't get to come." Pretty darn hypocritical if you ask me.

I have the answer 3:07. In the interests of reducing man's distructive foot print on these islands, everyone not born here should leave. This would have the added benefit of silencing the loudest and most irritating mouths complaining about tourism's ill effects.

Manuahi said 7:32.......Right onKauai really hasn't grown that much in comparison to other high value places in the past 50 years or so. Most have quadrupled/quintupled their population base. If Kauai families had more kids (or even national averages) and these kids stayed home we would have doubled the 60,000 we have now. Kauai has low birth rates and the kids move to other places.Our Council does not plan for even natural population growth. The main roads built over 100 years ago. Water systems ancient etc.We all have the same rights to live here. The same exact rights. But our government is failing everyone.20 to 50 dollar bus rides, million dollar bike paths, whilst the locals live in crowded homes and sit in traffic,C'mon JoAnn give the secret whisper to Water Dept and tell them that the secret deal you made with them last century is OFF, and it is OK for them to release the water. The locals have suffered enough. (for the slow thinkers out there, water meters are important to housing and are dispersed by OPINIONS, pure opinions) C'mon Gary, Mason and JoAnn go to GF and beg them to work with the County to upzone some lots for local homes. Just think JoAnn...more people in Lihue will mean your million dollar bikepaths and buses will be used more. This might at least bring a smile to your face. You, Gary and Mason don't smile very often (always verging on stnk-eye)......and Blast Me with the Happy Stick, Batman . Ross and Mel, Arryl and Kipukai seem to be full of life and energy. In the midst of darkness, bankruptcy and mayhem, they are full of life and pizazzzz.

8:02 you quick to criticize the 3 council members without power for not doing enough, but the 4 amigos who have the power do nothing! Cept Kagaws of course. He just makes big body like he one tough guy. It's easy for you Ross when you got two full time government jobs, one with County and the other with the State. The rest of us suck wind while you on the government gravy train and do NOTHING for us locals.

8:31 the 3 of your hero's, Hooser, Chock, and Yukimura passed the Invalid Bill 2491 three years ago thanks to a weak Majority that pandered to vocal transplants like you and Mason Chocks big body sista Malia.

7:18 and 8:31 PMs What's the beef? You don't like any of the Council, vote um out or better run yourself? The voters have the power, just like a year ago when they got sick and tired of Bynum. Who's next, that's the exciting part, but give them all credit, including those who don't make it. It's a pretty shitty job if you think about it.

Get rid of Yukimura and vote the Filipino lady from Koloa that has a white last name in.

She has a lot of qualifications and she can represent the people of Kauai because she has done that and more.

Kauai needs a change of direction and needs to get the good ok boys and gals out of office.

Yukimura said that the 150 million dollar bike path was the solution for traffic and how has that gone so far?

Now she is proposing to raise gas taxes when gas is forecasted to rapidly rise by summer time. We already pay more than any island in the state and a lot more than the mainland and she still wants to increase that and the GE tax.

The truth is that the county wasted all that money on phony union jobs like the Nawiliwili rd that they fixed 3 times in the last 5 years. The big unions are ripping the people off because the council owes them favors for voting them in office.

Once again Yukimura tries to manipulate the people of Kauai that she knows how to spend your money better than you do.

She wants to increase gas tax, vehicle weight tax and also GE tax. She wants more of the people's money so she can build bike paths that she doesn't even use.

The county wasted over 10 million on that crazy pacman street they built in front of Wilcox school. How many millions have the county wasted on resurfacing nawiliwili rd in the last 5 years and now they are for the third time in 5 years resurfacing the same county road that they just resurfaced a year or two ago. What a waste of tax payers monies but at least the big unions get all the cash and politicians gets the votes. Then the county wants to waste another 10 million on Rice st; which they just resurfaced a few years ago. For what? Nike lanes and painting crosswalks every 5 ft? Literally in front of the county and state building and also the fire watcher bldg there is a cross walk every 5 ft.

No More Yukimanipulator No More

Fixing our roads – owning our kuleanaTGI

JoAnn A. Yukiimura

Last week I introduced a tax proposal to repair county roads and bridges and expand public transportation and walking and biking facilities on…

Yukimura wants more of your money because she knows how to spend it better by donating it to the unions mistresses, Vegas trips, hunting trips, fishing trips, their sex tourism trips to Oahu and third world countries, new boats, houses and cars and whatever they can do to waste the tax payer monies year after year doing the same jobs over and over and over again and again a and again like the people don't know what's going on.

9:47 a.m. - Are you talking about voting in Norma Doctor Sparks??? She doesn't even have enough cultural pride to pronounce her Filipino name correctly. She's just as whitewashed and JoAnn. I really don't see how she would be any better on this council. Especially with the BS drug treatment plan she proposed to the County for $50,000.

Ross is the guy who speaks for common sense. His words ring true because what he says is what many, many, people on this island are saying and thinking. Do you hear any voice but Ross' questioning the wisdom and worthiness of the assinine Rice Street improvement? Meanwhile, generous wage increases are being proposed with no money to pay the $800K+ yearly increase in salaries, while needed road repairs costing $100 million dollars, plus another $100 million in backlogged repairs to County facilities (think parks) languish. Ross is the only council member who consistently displays concern over the County's checkbook, is the only member who seems to grasp the reality that we cannot fund everything and insists that tax dollars be spent wisely to benefit the citizens of Kauai. As to his vote against the GMO bill. This was an act of conscience and bravery. Under the circumstances prior to the vote, would you have had the guts to admit you made a mistake and change your yes to no? If you remember, Ross took a lot of heat for that, but he manned up and defended his right to change his mind. To us, this speaks to strength and character; qualities in short supply around County government.

You realize that Joann's proposed gas tax , vehicle weight tax and GE tax increases are in addition to similar tax increases moving through the Legislature; proposed by Ige's administration? You have to ask, does Joann and the State understand the cumulative effect of their proposals on the rest of us? More money for road repair that never seem to get done.

First I didn't read all the comments. They need to tighten up framers certifications ( not a proper term). What I mean is a lot of the time stolen fruits and vegetables are sold by a thief at framers markets. So we need a way to prove that items sold a these type markets are farmers or bought from a framer which thieves are usually not. This will help to minimize the amount of revenue a thief can make off of stolen products and kept the farmers from competing with cheap stolen goods at market.